RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM / KAKINADA: First flood warning was issued at Dowleswaram Barrage as surplus water was released into the River Godavari at a discharged rate of 13 lakh cusecs on Wednesday. Meanwhile, second warning was issued at Bhadrachalam.
Fear has once again gripped people in hundreds of villages of Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR), Eluru, Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema, Kakinada and twin Godavari districts, who had just started to return to their homes after the previous floods receded.
One SDRF and two NDRF teams have been deployed in the lanka villages of Konaseema district. The district administration has sounded an alert in as many as 118 island villages. The second warning is likely to be issued at the barrage on Thursday, if the water level touches 13.75 feet.Currently, the water level is at 12.90 feet.
As many as 280 villages under 42 mandals in the six districts could face the flood’s fury, if the discharge rate crosses 15 lakh cusecs at Dowleswaram barrage. Flood level at Polavaram spillway was recorded at 34 metres and water was discharged at 13 lakh cusecs.East Godavari district Collector Dr K Madhavi Latha said they have taken all measures to shift cattle from eight lanka villages to safe places.She added that flood inflows may increase in the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the floodwater submerged the road between Chintur and Kunavaram in ASR district, disrupting vehicular traffic in the Agency areas. Rampachodavaram sub-collector Katta Simhachalam warned people against ferrying country boats in Godavari.
He said measures have been taken to supply ration to Kothagudem and Talluru villages in Devipatnam mandal’s Kondamohalu area as the locals were reluctant to evacuate the villages.Eluru district collector Y Prasanna Venkatesh directed revenue authorities of Polavaram, Velerupadu and Kukkunur mandals to shift people from submergence areas to relief centres.
The surplus water from River Gowthami and Vynatheya Godavari inundated villages and submerged several causeways in Konaseema district. Revenue authorities were asked to be on an alert in I Polavaram, P Gannavaram, Mummidivaram, Sakhinetipalli, Razole, and Malikipuram mandals.The Mukteswaram Eduru Bidiyam Causeway at Ainavilli in P Gannavaram mandal was once again under water.
Road connectivity to Ainavilli Lanka, Verravallipalem, Pallapulam and Addankivari Lanka would be cut off if the flood levels rise.With the water levels at the Vriddha Gowthami Godavari gradually increasing, people living in low-lying areas are again moving to upland areas.
Central team visits Polavaram project
The inter-ministerial team to assess the damage caused in the State due to river Godavari floods visited Polavaram project on Wednesday. They inspected the necklace bund and flood bank at Yadlagudem. Eluru Collector Prasanna Venkatesh received Central team members K Manahoran, P Devenkar and Union Rural Development Ministry Secretary Aravind Kumar Soni. The team visited Repakagommu and Tatkurugommu villages in Velerupadu mandal and assessed the loss